Meet Me Under The Table
by avatarfan16
Summary: A story of how Toph and Aang find love, in the most unusual of places.  TAANG


1**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last airbender**

Meet me under the table

Toph walked idly down the hallway of her home, wishing Aang would hurry so they could eat, and wishing he brought some peaches with him. She had sent her husband to the market what seemed like a hundred years ago, threatening–

_if you're not back in an hour, you're going to be sharing the couch with Momo tonight._

In her arms, she carried the silk table cloth Aang gave her on their anniversary last month. A lot of people would find it an odd present to give their wife on their anniversary...or at all for that matter. In truth it was only one of many tablecloths they possessed.

Entering the kitchen, she unfurled the lavish cloth, before whipping it up in the air, and let it float down over the table. Toph reached out to flatten any creases, and smooth out the corners. Taking a seat, she stretched her feet beneath the table, before resting her elbow on the table, and her chin in her palm.

In fact more than once, Katara had asked her why she and Aang had so many tables and tablecloths. Indeed, there wasn't a single room in their home, that didn't have a table with a tablecloth adorning it. But Toph never answered. It was a secret that only she and her husband shared, they had shared it since they were kids. It was the secret of their love.

All children, no matter what nation, upbringing, or social class, have one thing in common. Special hiding places; closets, bushes, etc. Toph Bei Fong hid under the table. Closets carried the inherit risk of being locked in. And bushes carried thorns. But tables were spacious, and naturally had a generous supply of food nearby.

Toph had spent most of her childhood under the dining room table. Usually during one of her parents lame parties. Spending long hours under tables, hiding from her parents and their world. The underside of the tale, became a sanctuary for her, a place where she could be alone. Because noone ever thinks to look under the table.

Not once, did Toph imagine, she would one day meet someone under the table.

What seemed like all the fire nation, and a majority of the earth kingdom, had flocked to the royal palace. It was Prince Zuko's birthday, and the palace was packed with nobles, and foreign diplomats. And something that had appeared quite recently, which Toph detested most of all.

Suitors.

It was all in all, as Toph would say, "_a real snooze-fest."_

But there was no way, she was going to spend her evening bored out of her mind, surrounded by a bunch of rich snobs and drooling boys. The blind bender approached a nearby table, and prepared to put her well practiced plan into action.

Pretending to look at hors d'oeuvres, Toph waited to make her move. Then when it felt like noone was looking, the earthbender sank to her hands and knees, quickly disappeared underneath the tablecloth.

She made it!

Or so she thought. A loud growl from her stomach reminded her, she had been so preoccupied with getting away from her would be suitors that she forgot to bring some snacks with her. And Toph didn't dare go back out for food, and risk being cornered by a persistent suitor. She would just have to starve. How could it get any worse?

"Toph?"

_BAM_

The sudden sound of name, made her jump, and bang her head on the underside of the table. She hadn't noticed that she was not alone. "T-Twinkle-toes?" she grunted in pain.

"That looked like it hurt?"

"What are you doing here?" she whispered angrily.

"Hiding from courtesans" he whispered back.

"I feel for you Twinkle-toes, but this is my hiding spot. Go find your own." Toph started to shove him with her feet, slowly pushing him out.

"Please Toph, you've gotta let me stay!" he begged.

Toph kept pushing. "Why should I?" she asked.

"Those girls are crazy! And noone ever thinks to look under a table. I'm begging you please let me stay" he said imploringly.

"Sorry Twinkles, but–

I brought snacks" he added, holding up a bag full of pastries.

The earthbender sighed heavily.

In the end Toph didn't know why she let him stay. Maybe Toph felt like she could relate, as he too knew the burden of persistent courtesans. Maybe it was because he brought her favorite dessert.

Either way, they spent the whole night talking, and eating pastries.

Soon it was a common occurrence, for the two of them to sneak under tables. Whether it be at some dull party, or any other annoying social obligation they had to attend.

They would spend entire evenings under tables, eating sweets and talk of their would be suitors.

Despite having spent most of her under the table time alone. She would always make from for Aang when he crawled under to join her. As long as he brought food with him. They would always find each other under the table.

As time went on, they started meeting under tables on their own time. When either life got to stressful and needed a break from reality, or when they just need someone to talk with. And Toph no longer cared whether he brought food or not, though he always did.

It was there, Toph began opening up to him. She shared her likes and dislikes, secrets and stories. Like her hate for peas, and her love of breaking the rules. Because she knew that within the sanctuary of the table, she would not be judged.

And it was there, Aang could confide in her. He confessed his fears and worries, and all the troubles that plagued him. Because when Toph told him everything was going to be alright. He believed her.

It was a place where they could be themselves. Where she could let her guard down, and he wouldn't feel so alone. A place just for them.

As their friendship grew, so did their time spent under the table. And it was there, that their friendship grew into something more. More than teacher and student. More than friends.

It wasn't until Toph and Aang were fourteen, when their relationship under the table changed forever. A day Toph would never forget that day; for two reasons.

After two years, Toph had finally decided to return home for a visit. Aang had come with her, but she hadn't thought much of it at the time. She was just glad to have some company.

It was dinner time, and the two benders had snuck under the table, before her parents arrived. They had done it a thousand times by now, it was just like old times.

Though she noticed Aang had been rather quiet that evening. When she asked him about it, he gently took her hand in his, and said–

"_Earthbender'swhokissmesaywhat?"_

"_What?"_

And before she knew it, Toph could feel Aang's lips pressing against hers in a tender kiss. And all she could think was, 'It's about time', before quickly returning the kiss herself. He was clumsy and inexperienced. But hey, so was she.

Still, it was the perfect kiss...up until Toph's dad bent down under the table, to pick up the chopsticks that he had dropped. Toph would always remember that day, as the day of her first kiss, and as the day her father screamed and fainted like an old maid.

Even as a couple, little changed between them and their table antics. Aside from the heavy make-out sessions between snacks, everything stayed the same. They still talked, and had fun. Spent lazy afternoons out on the grass, and flew on Appa.

Most of their dates in fact, occurred under tables. Whether it be at yet another dull social gathering, or whether Toph had to make one herself from earth. An odd place for a date, yet neither cared. Because that is where they found each other, and where they found love. It was the place where they could always find each other.

Aang even proposed to Toph under a table. (It was the second time she hit her head on the underside of the table.)

Their wedding was short and sweet, which was just the way Toph wanted it. With only family, and close friends invited. But it wasn't until the reception that they started having fun.

After the first dance, Toph and Aang had snuck under a random table, with several bottles of sake and a large portion of their wedding cake. They didn't come out for half a day.

_SLAM_

The sound of the front door opening and closing, snapped Toph out of her memories. She recognized her husbands vibrations before he even spoke.

"Hello?" he called.

"I'm in the kitchen" she called back.

Toph felt her husbands footsteps as he approached the dining area. She always loved his billowy footsteps. The moment he walked in, her keen nose sniffed ripe peaches. Perfect, just what she wanted. "It's about time, I was beginning to think you had gotten stuck in another iceberg or something" she teased.

Aang set the bag down on the table, and took a seat. "So am I going to be bunking with Momo tonight?" he asked playfully, offering her a peach.

Toph smirked. "I haven't decided" she answered, taking the peach from him.

Aang chuckled at his wife's clever wit. He then noticed the green silk cloth adorning their table. "So, how do you like the tablecloth I made you?" he asked.

Toph froze just as she was about to take a bite of the plump fruit. The blind earthbender laid a hand on the soft material of the cloth. "You _made _this?" she asked stunned.

"Of course" he answered, "I even embroidered a message for you. Didn't you see it?" He took hold of her small but rough hand, and guided it to the tablecloth. And sure enough, there was a message stitched into the fabric.

_TO MY DARLING TOPH_

_WHO OPENED MY EYES AND MY HEART_

_HAPPY ANNIVERSARY_

_LOVE AANG_

Toph was speechless, completely blown away that he would actually _make _this for her. After several seconds of silence, a mischievous smirk crept up to her lips.

"Aang."

"Yes Toph?"

Aang watched as his wife slowly, almost sensually, slide out of her seat. Her finger beckoning him to follow as she disappeared beneath the tablecloth.

"Meet me under the table."

**Finished at 9:19** **P.M.**

**Aang's gonna get some lovin'. HA! Just kidding...or am I. First of all HAPPY 18****TH**** BIRTHDAY TO ME WOO-HOO!!! That's right Avatar fans, the number one taang fan is now 18 as of 12:01 September 15****th****. So I wanted to write a fic on the same day as my birthday. And I got the idea 'What if Aang and Toph had a love nest? What would it be? And what would they do? And thus this fic was born. You may notice, that at times it seems rushed. That's because it was written in two days. Still I like it, and I hope you will too. Anyway season three starts in one week. Keep on the look out for any signs of taang. **


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